


The Thrill of the Kill

by artistic_lion



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Love/Hate, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Serial Killer! Hide, Serial Killer! Kaneki, Serial Killers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-03 10:16:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5286884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artistic_lion/pseuds/artistic_lion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaneki Ken is a serial killer. You could say it's a hobby of his, depending on how flexible your definition of "hobby" is. One day, however,  a reporter announces a murder that occurred the previous night. It wasn't Kaneki, so who could it have been?  What would happen if these two were to meet?</p><p>DISCONTINUED</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes or continuation problems. I'll try my best to make this interesting. If you don't like blood, violence, or swearing then you probably shouldn't be reading this. You've been warned.
> 
> Edit: I should've said this earlier but this is them from the first volume except human and aged up. They look exactly like they did in the beginning (except a bit older if that changes what they would look like to you) so keep that in mind as you're reading!

It was the best feeling imaginable; sliding the knife across his victim's throat. They would try to gasp or shout but it would just waste what little time they had left. Years of practice allowed Kaneki to cut their vocal cords and windpipe in one clean swipe. Then he sat back and watched the show. He would let them drop to the ground as they struggled for a breath that they wouldn't get. It was cute how they squirmed around on the ground in a puddle of their own blood. It was always short lived, unfortunately. Less than two minutes later Kaneki was already making his way home, not a drop of blood on him.

No one suspected a thing. He was pleasant and friendly at work. He went out with friends on the weekends. Kaneki seemed to be a completely normal twenty-five year old to anyone he met; little did they know...

Tonight he was plotting a risky kill. This particular girl had come into Anteiku a month ago and she was too good to pass up. Rize was beautiful and tonight, her blood would paint the ground like a canvas. Oh how fun this would be.

It might not happen, though. Kaneki didn't like to take extreme risks, especially not with his "hobby". If an opportunity presented itself the night would be fun. If not, he would just try another night. With Rize, extra precautions had to be taken. It could be traced back to him with a single error because she visited his work often. It wouldn't be easy.

Rize was walking home from a late night stop at her favorite bookstore.  _I didn't know bookstores were open this late._ He trailed a block behind her, making sure to watch out of his peripherals instead of directly. She obviously wasn't paying attention to her surroundings; she had her nose in the book she just bought. Perfect, maybe he would catch a break tonight.

Her apartment was only a few blocks ahead, time to act. Kaneki made a point to look down at his watch before walking faster, just enough to steadily gain ground on his victim. He continued this rushed pace until he was two blocks past Rize's building where he turned down an alley. He rushed to circle back to the alley Rize would cut through to get to the front of her building. There, lurking in the shadows, he waited.

When Rize turned the corner she was still focused on her new book. Kaneki pulled his knife out of his bag without a sound. She walked idly past his hiding spot without the slightest clue what was about to happen.

_Now!_

He sprang behind his victim and lodged the knife into her throat. She tried to claw at his hand but it was too late, her windpipe was severed. She dropped to the ground and gaped up at Kaneki as her blood spilled from the slit in her neck. He crouched beside her," Sorry gorgeous," he grinned," I just had to add you to my list of casualties."

By the time the words left his mouth the light had already faded from her eyes.

Excitement ran through his veins. This innocent girl lying dead because of him, how wonderful. He wanted to look longer, take a picture, do something to keep this image in his head longer but he knew he couldn't. He had to make sure he got this feeling of bliss again and to do that certain steps had to be taken.

Kaneki had scoped out the whole city of Tokyo by now. He knew a lot of escape routes. The fire escape to his right would do nicely. The knife he had used was wiped off with a strip of cloth that he'd ripped off of a shirt. Before he left his house he had made sure he was carrying gloves. He put them on and began climbing the fire escape.

_11:42, not bad. I should make it home by midnight._

Kaneki glanced down once more. No one had noticed the body yet. Hopefully they wouldn't for another hour or so. He picked his way across rooftops for another three blocks before climbing back down to the pavement. It only took ten minutes to get back to his apartment. Once he was inside he stripped out of all of his clothes and threw them in a corner to be discarded later. He took off his shoes that he had gotten for Christmas. When his mother asked for his shoe size he'd told her one that was much to big for him. Comfort had to be sacrificed for safety. After he unpacked his bag and placed the knife on the counter, he jumped in the shower.

A smile made its way onto his face. _She looked so startled when she felt the knife. And when she saw that it was me..._ He started laughing. It was such a delightful feeling, killing someone who knew him. Everyone else would wonder who had killed her. Maybe they would even say something like," If I ever find the bastard that did this he'll pay!" That would be great. They would be furious and bitter and all of those fun emotions that people feel when others die. It would be quite a spectacle tomorrow at work!

Eventually his laughter died down and Kaneki started to think about what he would have to do the following days. He would definitely have to put on a mask of sorrow for the time being. If he's lucky the commotion would die down after a week or two. He would have to lie low for the next month or so. That would be no fun, though it wasn't unusual for him to wait a month or two before making his next move. Sometimes he would wait longer if he felt like the police were getting close. He would also have to get an alibi for tonight. He could call his boss in the morning and say he hadn't felt well that night. That would work, he hadn't used that alibi in six months. He could also donate the clothes that he'd been wearing tonight after checking them. That seemed to cover everything.

He turned off the water, stepped out of the shower, and got dressed. Now all that would be left to do was clean the knife. He grabbed some bleach from the cabinet and walked into the kitchen. Grabbing the knife, he poured some bleach into the sink and started scrubbing. After he was satisfied with the knife he let the bleach sink down the drain. Cleanup was done.

Kaneki grabbed an apple and watched the news as the reporter announced the murder of a young girl. He smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

"Kaneki did you hear about Rize?" Touka asked. 

"No, what happened? Is she okay?" Kaneki replied. It wasn't hard to look concerned when Touka looked upset. She rarely let on when something was bothering her.

"Well, it's just... She died yesterday. It was late and she was walking home and..." she looked away. _Wow, this is really getting to her. I wonder why. Her and Rize didn't seem to be close. I wonder if it's something else._ Kaneki didn't like many people at Anteiku very much but he did like Touka. She was interesting. It wouldn't be hard to act upset with her this shaken up. 

"I'm so sorry. How could anyone want to hurt her? She was so sweet." 

"I don't know but I hope that they catch whoever did it," she said, turning to walk away. 

It took a lot of effort not to smirk. 

And with that Kaneki went behind the counter, put on an apron, and started his shift. Working at Anteiku was nice; easy work, friendly coworkers, discounted coffee. The atmosphere was very quiet and pleasant. Rude customers were a rarity which was also good. He really had no complaints about the place. A young couple had just sat down so he walked over to take their order. They asked for lattes. He made them and carried the drinks over. Everything was peaceful. 

"Kaneki! Très Bien!"

And there goes the peace. "Hello Tsukiyama, how are you?" Kaneki said reluctantly. 

"Amazing now that I'm here," he replied, sitting down at a table,"Could I get a black coffee, dear?" Man this guy was annoying. Why did he have to chose Kaneki to bother?

"Sure. Is that all?" he asked, a strained smile on his face.

"Hmm, I suppose not today," Tsukiyama said after glancing Kaneki over. That guy could be such a creep sometimes but he did seem to care about him. Maybe the guy just had a weird sense of humor or something. Kaneki made his coffee anyways and went to set it down on the table.

"You know, Kaneki, you should come to my restaurant sometime. We serve some delicious food. I think you'd like it, my treat of course."

He thought it over, it would be nice to go out. He needed to make sure he stayed social so that he didn't raise suspicion. "Sure, Tsukiyama. That sounds nice. How about tonight?" He chatted with Tsukiyama for another hour or so. No other customers came in and the manager closed the store early in order to attend Rize's funeral. All of the employees went. It was a nice service. He almost slipped up a few times. But no none seemed to notice the occasional tug of his lips or the strange gleam in his eye. All of these people could be out enjoying the strangely cheerful summer afternoon. Instead they were mourning the loss of their friend who should've lived much longer than she did. It's strange how so many go through life pretending that death will never catch up with them. It's not like he kills for any "righteous" purpose, though. He kills purely for the bliss of it. Allowing these thoughts to swirl around in his mind helped him master his expression.

After the service was over people tapered off but most of the Anteiku regulars stayed. They all knew Rize. They all liked her and were furious about the turn of events. Tsukiyama had left. _I guess those plans are canceled._ Those who were still there made plans to go drinking so Kaneki figured he would just join them.

They all walked to the bar and reminisced about Rize. Kaneki didn't have anything to say so he was silent the entire walk to the bar. Everyone sat down and ordered drinks. Kaneki ordered a beer and glanced around the building. It was fairly empty; just some old men and some guys in their early twenties. He tried to keep his mind on what Touka was saying to him but he wasn't interested in her college classes. 

Again his thoughts wandered to Rize. She looked so pitiful in that casket. She looked much better on the ground in the alley with blood staining her dress. She looked more real like that. The funeral directors had made her look like a doll in a package waiting to be bought. That didn't suit her. They could've at least left her glasses on. They must have left them off because they cracked when she fell. The flowers were also frustrating. They used white roses to cover the wound on her neck. Why would they hide his masterpiece? The slash would've contrasted well with her pale skin. It was still exciting to be able to see her again, even if it was just an echo of what he felt last night. 

"Kaneki? Are you okay? You spaced out," Touka said, she looked worried. How long had he been staring at nothing? 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about all of the nice things people said about Rize today. I wish I had gotten to know her better," he lied through his teeth. _Shit, that could've been bad._

"Yeah, she was a really nice girl. You would've liked her. She liked The Black Goat's Egg! I know that you love that author."

"Wow, really? I never knew." Yes he did. That was the book she had bought on her way home. 

"It's true," she said, tearing up a bit. "She would've liked you. You're always so nice to everyone."

"Could I get another beer?" a voice chided behind him. Kaneki wasn't sure why, but he turned.

He was instantly captivated by this stranger. He wasn't sure if he waned to ask him on a date or kill him. This was different. This blond stranger with a dorky smile was attractive and it wasn't fair. Surely if he killed this soon he would get caught. But maybe not. He couldn't get close to this boy and kill him and that wasn't fair because now his head was in a whirl and for the first time in what felt like forever Kaneki Ken was confused over a boy. He didn't even know this guy's name but now he wanted to. Holy shit why did this guy have to be hot. He was not ready for this tonight. The boy was going to go sit back down soon so if he wanted to say something he needed to do it soon but fuck what should he say? He couldn't leave with him, that would look bad if he decided to kill him. _Fuck what should I do? The bartender is coming back with the guy's drink what..._

"Hey, my name's Hide since you obviously wanted to know," the blond smirked at him. Had he been staring that whole time? 

"Kaneki," he said, blushing and sticking his hand out.

"Well Kaneki, how about I buy you a drink?" Hide asked, grabbing Kaneki's hand and, instead of shaking it, pulled him up from his chair. Kaneki glanced back at Touka who was smiling. She nodded for him to go and turned to argue with Nishiki about something. Hide had already picked up two pints of beer for them. He led Kaneki to a table away from both of their friends and they sat down. 

"Hey Hide! What are you doing man?" one of the guys from the other table called. 

"Don't worry about it jackass!" Hide shouted back. He turned back to Kaneki,"Sorry about that."

The two of them sat there and talked for awhile about nothing in particular. Neither of them seemed to mind though. At some point Hide asked, "Is there a special occasion that you and your friends went out for?" 

"Not particularly. We all got off work and decided to go out." Lying didn't bother him but this might be bad. Kaneki just hoped that no one decided to call a toast to Rize's memory or anything like that.

"That's cool. My friends decided to drag me out for my birthday. I just turned 26."

"Oh! Happy birthday, then. Anything excited planned?" 

"Not right now. Wanna change that?" Hide asked casually. Kaneki felt a flush wash over his face. He hadn't met this guy until an hour ago and he was already suggesting things like this? What was he supposed to say? Why did he want to take the offer? His mind swirled.

Kaneki slowly nodded, looking down at his drink. His ears were scarlet and his face burned. Hide downed the rest of his drink and walked around the table. Before he knew what was happening he felt a kiss pressed to his cheek. "Let's get out of here then," the blond whispered in his ear. _Fuck._ It sent a shiver down his spine.

He took Kaneki's hand and dragged him out of his chair. He was still blushing like crazy. Before he could so much as say goodbye to his friends Kaneki was out the door and being led down the street to who knows where. Strangely enough, he wasn't thinking about blood or strategy. The only thing that filled his head was the boy who still had a grip on his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Kaneki lost track of how far they walked. His head was still spinning. How had he gotten this lucky? What did this stranger see in him? Kaneki wasn't anything special. Why had he agreed to have sex with someone he just met? Would this lead to a relationship or would it be a one night stand? Is that what he wants? A one night stand with a beautiful stranger? Did that make him an asshole? Probably but he didn't suggest it. How would this even work? It wouldn't be his first time but it had been awhile since Kaneki had been with someone. What would Hide want to do to him?

This tornado of thoughts kept Kaneki occupied so he didn't pay much attention to where this boy was dragging him. He didn't notice the maniacal grin on Hide's face. He didn't notice the too tight grip on his hand. He didn't notice much except the blond hair shifting as Hide walked and allowed himself to be mesmerized by it as he tried to think.

He was so distracted that he didn't notice that they turned into a dark alley or Hide reaching into his bag. It was Hide letting his hand drop that clued him in to what was going on. If he hadn't had a killer's instinct he might've died that night. But he did have a killer's instincts so he was able to dodge the slash that was aimed at his neck. Kaneki stumbled back a few steps.

"So you wanna play, do you? I love it when they resist," Hide grinned. _Why didn't I notice? This is exactly what I do to lead people to my comfort zone. How could I be so stupid?_ Hide stepped towards Kaneki but this time he was ready. He intercepted his arm, twisted him around, and gave Hide a swift kick in the stomach. "You're feisty. Done this before?" Hide asked as he got back to his feet. "You could say that," Kaneki replied, glancing around for a way out. He didn't want to run into the street, if Hide got caught they might do an investigation on Kaneki and that wouldn't be good. Fighting head on wouldn't turn out well, Kaneki was unarmed. He could try to climb a fire escape and run across some rooftops. Hide would probably follow him, though. His only option seemed to be to disarm Hide somehow.

All of these calculations ran through his head in half a second. His attacker seemed to be assessing the situation as well. Two killers fighting against each other; this could get interesting. _I wonder what it would feel like to kill a killer._ This thought sent him over the edge. Kaneki charged at Hide, ducking under his swipe and slamming his elbow into his ribcage. As Hide tried to catch his breath, Kaneki slipped the knife out of his hand and hit him over the head with the hilt. Hide staggered, grabbing the wall behind him for support.

Kaneki pressed his forearm against Hide's throat, holding him in place. He ran the blade over his cheek. "Too bad. When I saw what your real intentions with me were I thought you would put up more of a fight. Maybe you should be more careful about choosing your victims Hide," Kaneki cooed, punctuating his last sentence with a cut across Hide's cheekbone. The scrape trickled blood down his cheek. _This is even better than sex._

Hide just grinned as though he wasn't about to die. "Noted, I'll make sure that my prey isn't a predator." This guy was witty and cute. Too bad. Soon he would paint the wall behind him crimson.

So many things happened at once Kaneki couldn't comprehend it until was laying down in his bed later that night. Seemingly all at once, Hide gave Kaneki a sharp kick to the kneecap, ripped the knife out of Kaneki's hand, and surged forward to place a sloppy kiss on his lips. The kiss lasted five seconds at the most but it felt like Kaneki could have been standing in that alley for an hour with this blond stranger pressed up against him. Sparks shot from his lips all the way down his spine. As Hide pulled away, he winked and dashed away. Kaneki didn't catch where he went because he was frozen, staring at the spot where Hide had stood seconds ago. Numbly, he turned and started walking. Eventually his feet must've carried him to his apartment. His thoughts were too muddled to comprehend anything until he was laying down, staring up at his ceiling, still feeling the mysterious boy kissing him.

\------------------------------------------------------

"Police are giving reports of another murder that occurred last night around 2 a.m. Police have not found the perpetrator. A message was left at the crime scene that is puzzling investigators. The message reads, 'Last week was fun.' We are unsure if this was a message for the victim or someone else." _Click_

Kaneki couldn't stand to listen to the reporter talk about Hide anymore. It was bad enough that he was the only thing Kaneki could think about, now he had to listen to other people talk about him? He couldn't stand it. The guy had some nerve to write a message to him in someone else's blood. Retaliation was in order but he needed some time to plan. He wasn't going to get himself caught because of a crush. Though, he did want to act fast; give Hide a quick response. Kaneki couldn't deny that he was still attracted to him. He also despised him. He'd claimed this part of Tokyo as his territory, and he didn't appreciate Hide intruding. 

It was 9:28; almost time to go to work. Kaneki gathered up his uniform from around his apartment and got ready. By 9:45 he was out the door and on his way to work. As he walked he tried to plot out what his next move would be. Maybe be could sit on a fire escape in an alley and see if any opportunities popped up. He wasn't particularly interested in who he killed this time around, just killing and leaving a message. He scouted alleys from the street to see if there were any that looked promising. When he walked into Anteiku he had already formed a plan for that week. 

Work was quiet. A cloud still seemed to hang in the air from Rize's death. The next few days passed uneventfully: nothing on the news, boring customers, no killing opportunities. The most interesting thing that happened until Thursday was Uta coming in to visit. Other customers stared but he didn't seem to care. 

It was Thursday night that Kaneki had gotten lucky. He had returned to his post sitting on a fire escape. The past nights people passed through in pairs or groups so there wasn't much for him to do. About 3 hour in a man in his thirties passed below his perch. Quickly, Kaneki dropped to the ground, knife in hand. He crouched behind a dumpster before the man could see what had made the noise. He shrugged it off and continued walking, assuming that it was an animal. Kaneki dashed behind the man and lodged the knife in his windpipe. Excitement sparked in his veins. The man dropped to the ground, choking on his own blood. While he enjoyed the noise of his victim struggling to breath, Kaneki pulled a can of spray paint out of his bag. Laughing to himself, Kaneki began spraying his message on the ground next to the puddle that was forming underneath the poor soul who happened to cross Kaneki's path. 


End file.
